Three-dimensional GUI object stores in automation test tools

ABSTRACT

A method for storing graphical user interface (GUI) object properties includes: storing GUI object properties for each GUI object for a starting version of an application in an object map; associating the stored GUI object properties for each GUI object with a starting version identifier; determining that at least one of the GUI objects is changed; in response to determining that the at least one GUI object is changed, storing modifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object in the object map; and associating the modifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object with a new version identifier of the application. Over time, the object map contains multiple variants of the GUI objects. An automation test tool may use this object map to intelligently select appropriate GUI object version for recognition at script run time.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/983,968, filed on Jan. 4, 2011.

BACKGROUND

In the process of software development, automation testing is animportant and critical step in the testing cycle. Testing is necessaryto ensure quality in the software. For present day automation testingtools, part of the testing cycle includes graphical user interface (GUI)object testing. GUI objects include icons, push buttons, drop downmenus, etc. that a user of the program will use to interact with thesoftware. GUI object testing is typically implemented via a record andplayback approach, where interactions with GUI objects are recorded andthen played back. Interactions include, for example, clicking on links,buttons, etc. and entering data into entry fields, check boxes, etc. Thetest tool records these user actions, together with a record of theindividual GUI objects under test that were interacted with. The recordand playback approach is an important feature of automation testingtools as it provides an easy way to create test scripts withoutrequiring extensive knowledge of coding and development.

To achieve the ability to playback previously recorded user actions,these tools store the GUI object properties in an object map, or someother tool specific artifact. The object map can in turn be referencedwhen the tool executes the test script and replays the recorded actions.The GUI object properties contain information that the tool requires touniquely identify GUI objects during script playback. Examples of suchobject properties include the object class, text, identifier, name, etc.

In one existing approach, every time one or more GUI's of theapplication user interface (UI) changes, the object map is modified toinclude the new object properties. For example, modification may berequired when the application is migrated from an old version to newversion, migrated from one language to another language, when there is achange in the technology of the application's UI, or when there is anapplication feature change or enhancement. However, with this approach,if the script is to be executed against an older version of theapplication UI, the changes to the object map will need to be rolledback. If the script is later to be executed against the current version,the changes would have to be reintegrated into the object map. Extratime and effort are required of the tester to maintain the scripts andupdate the object map every time, resulting in an increase of theoverall cost of test execution.

An existing alternative approach is to use descriptive programminginstead of using the object map, where a tester can directly call thetool application programming interfaces (API's) to find and modify thedesired GUI objects. However, using descriptive programming requirestime and special skills.

For example, assume there is an application under development forCompany X, and test scripts have been created via the automation testtool to test the application UI. The textual information on a linkobject on the UI are Company X specific labels. When the sameapplication is customized for Company Y, the same link object is to haveCompany Y specific labels. If the same scripts recorded to test theCompany X customized application are to be used for the Company Ycustomized application, the properties of the link object has to beupdated in the scripts. Once updated, this script can no longer be usedto test the Company X customized application. The tester will have tomaintain different versions of the script to test the same application.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method forstoring graphical user interface (GUI) object properties comprises:storing GUI object properties for each GUI object for a starting versionof an application in an object map; associating the stored GUI objectproperties for each GUI object with a starting version identifier;determining that at least one of the GUI objects is changed; in responseto determining that the at least one GUI object is changed, storingmodifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUIobject in the object map; and associating the modifications of the GUIobject properties for the at least one GUI object with a new versionidentifier of the application.

In one aspect of the present invention, in response to determining thatthe at least one GUI object is changed, the storing of the modificationsof the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object in theobject map comprises: in response to determining that the at least oneGUI object is changed, storing only the modifications of the GUI objectproperties for the at least one GUI object in the object map withoutstoring the entire GUI object properties.

In one aspect of the present invention, the storing the GUI objectproperties for each GUI object for the starting version of theapplication in the object map comprises: storing the GUI objectproperties for each GUI object for the starting version of theapplication in a single file with a file name comprising the startingversion identifier.

In one aspect of the present invention, in response to determining thatthe at least one GUI object is changed, the storing of the modificationsof the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object in theobject map comprises: storing the modifications of the GUI objectproperties for the at least one GUI object in a separate file with afile name comprising the new version identifier.

In one aspect of the present invention, in response to determining thatthe at least one GUI object is changed, the storing of the modificationsof the GUI object properties for the at least one GUI object in theobject map comprises: storing the modifications of the GUI objectproperties for the at least one GUI object in the single file with theGUI object properties associated with the starting version of theapplication.

In one aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises:determining a baseline version of the application to be used in anexecution of a test script; retrieving the GUI object propertiesassociated with the starting version of the application from the objectmap; collecting the GUI object modifications associated with a nextversion of the application from the object map; merging the collectedGUI object modifications with the GUI object properties associated withthe starting version of the application; and repeating the collecting ofthe GUI object modifications associated with the next version of theapplication from the object map and merging the collected GUI objectmodifications with the merged GUI object properties until the nextversion of the application matches the baseline version of theapplication.

In one aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises:determining that the test script requires interaction with a GUI objectof the application; collecting properties of the GUI object of theapplication; comparing the collected properties of the GUI object of theapplication with the merged GUI object properties of the GUI object;determining that the collected properties of the GUI object of theapplication do not match the merged GUI object properties of the GUIobject; and in response to determining that the collected properties ofthe GUI object of the application do not match the merged GUI objectproperties of the GUI object, moving a baseline version marker to a nearversion of the application for the GUI object.

System and computer program products corresponding to theabove-summarized methods are also described and claimed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system for GUI object store inautomation test tools in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for storingGUI object properties in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method fordynamically obtaining a GUI object properties for a version of anapplication in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method fordynamically obtaining GUI object properties for a version of anapplication when merged GUI object properties are insufficient to searchon application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent invention may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java® (Java, and all Java-based trademarks and logos aretrademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States, othercountries, or both), Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming languageor similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirelyon the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer special purposecomputer or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce amachine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor ofthe computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, createmeans for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchartand/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified local function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system for GUI object store inautomation test tools in accordance with the present invention. Thesystem comprises a computer 101 operationally coupled to a processor 102and a computer readable medium 103. The computer readable medium 103stores computer readable program code 104 for implementing the method ofthe present invention. The computer 101 is operationally coupled to adatastore 106 for storing the object map 107. The processor 102 executesthe program code 104 to implement a three-dimensional GUI object storein automation test tools according to the various embodiments of thepresent invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, variants of theproperties of the same GUI object are stored in a single object map 107,where each variant of the GUI object properties is associated with aversion identifier. The properties of a GUI object comprises the GUIobject's place in the hierarchy of the application UP's GUI objects anda set of property-value pairs which the automation test tool would useto recognize the GUI object at the time of test script execution. Theversion identifier indicates a particular state of the application towhich a change in the properties of the GUI object belongs. The state ofthe application may include a language, locale, a temporary state due touser customization, or any other property variation. The GUI objectproperties are thus stored in a three-dimensional structure: hierarchy,property-value pairs, and version identifier. In this manner, multiplevariants of individual GUI objects are stored in the same object map,making the variants readily accessible to the automation test tool atscript execution time.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for storingGUI object properties in accordance with the present invention. For astarting version of the application, the automation test tool records orstores in the object map the GUI object properties for each GUI objectin the starting version (201). The GUI object properties for each of thestored GUI objects are associated with a starting version identifier(202). At some later time, the tool determines that at least one of theGUI objects is changed (203). In response to determining that at leastone of the GUI object is changed, instead of overwriting the GUI objectproperties to reflect the change, the tool stores the modifications tothe GUI object properties in the object map 107, and associates themodifications with a new version identifier of the application (204).The object map 107 would contain both the GUI object propertiesassociated with the starting version identifier, and the GUI objectproperties associated with the new version identifier. Steps 203 and 204are repeated each time a GUI object is changed. In this embodiment, onlythe modifications to the GUI object properties are stored and associatedwith the new version identifier, rather than the entire GUI objectdefinition. Further in this embodiment, the GUI object properties andtheir modifications are stored in the same object map 107. Over time,the object map 107 would contain multiple variants of the GUI objects.The automation test tool may then use this object map 107 tointelligently select the appropriate GUI object version for recognitionat script run time, as described in more detail below.

In one implementation of the object map 107 according to the presentinvention, variants of the GUI object properties are stored in multipleflat files. Each file name would incorporate the version identifier forthe corresponding application version. One file stores the details ofall of the GUI object properties, i.e., the starting version of theapplication. The other files store the modifications to the GUI objectproperties for subsequent versions of the application. In anotherimplementation of the object map according to the present invention, theGUI object properties are stored in one flat file. The starting versionof the application, as well as the modifications to the individual GUIobject properties for subsequent versions, are stored in the same file.In both implementations, each set of GUI object properties is associatedwith its respective version identifier. The implementations describedabove are not intended to be limiting. Any alternative can beimplemented.

For example, assume that the starting version of the applicationincludes a button with an “OK” label. A user's interaction with thebutton is recorded as part of the test script. The tool records the GUIobject properties for the button for the starting version of theapplication (201), and associates with it the starting versionidentifier (202). Assume that for a subsequent version of theapplication, the text label for the button is changed to “Cancel” (203).In this case, the modification of the text label for the button to“Cancel” is stored in the object map 107 and associated with a newversion identifier (204).

For another example, assume that the hierarchy of the GUI objectschanges in the application UI (203). In the case of a removal of a GUIobject from the hierarchy, the GUI object properties of the child GUIobject of the removed GUI object is stored to point to the parent of theremoved GUI object and associated with a new version identifier (204).In the case of an addition of a GUI object into the hierarchy, the GUIobject properties of the new GUI object is stored to point to its parentGUI object and associated with a new version identifier (204). The GUIobject properties of the child of the new GUI object is modified topoint to the new GUI object as its parent. This modification is storedin the object map and associated with the version identifier (204).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method fordynamically obtaining a GUI object properties for a version of anapplication in accordance with the present invention. Before startingscript execution, the automation test tool determines the baselineversion of the application to be used in the script execution (301). Thebaseline version may be determined through an input of a baselineversion identifier by the tester or obtained through configurationsettings. For example, absent a baseline version identifier input fromthe tester, the tool may set the latest version as the baseline versionof the application. Once the baseline version is determined, the toolretrieves the GUI object properties associated with the starting versionof the application from the object map 107 (302), stored per steps201-202 of FIG. 2. Then, using the version identifiers associated withthe GUI properties, the tool collects the GUI object modificationsassociated with the next version of the application from the object map107 (303), and merges the collected object modifications with the GUIobject properties (304). If the next version is not the baseline version(305), then steps 303-304 are repeated for a subsequent version of theapplication. If the next version is the baseline version (305), then themerging of the modifications to the GUI object properties is complete,and the execution of the script may then be started with the merged GUIobject properties (306).

To retrieve GUI object properties for a different version of theapplication, the version identifier for this version of the applicationmay be provided as the baseline version identifier, either throughtester input or through configuration settings. The modifications of theGUI object properties are then merged in the same manner as describedabove.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method fordynamically obtaining GUI object properties for a version of anapplication when merged GUI object properties are insufficient to searchon application. After the merging of the object modifications asdescribed above, the execution of the test script may be started. Duringthe replay of the test script, the tool determines that the test scriptrequires interaction with a GUI object of the application UI (401). Thetool collects the properties of the GUI object of the application (402),and the tool compares the collected GUI object properties with themerged GUI object properties of the GUI object (403). Here, the mergedGUI object properties of the GUI object corresponds to the baselineversion of the application. In response to finding a match, the actionis performed on the GUI object (407). In response to not finding a match(404), and determining that the GUI object properties for allapplication versions have not been searched (405), the tool moves thebaseline version marker to a near version of the application for the GUIobject (406). The tool then compares the collected properties with themerged GUI object properties of the GUI object of this baseline version(403). For example, if no match is found and the baseline version isV_(n), the tool can be configured to dynamically move the baselineversion marker to the next nearest version (either V_(n+1) of V_(n−1))and use the corresponding GUI object properties for that version of theapplication. Steps 403-406 are repeated until the tool finds a match. Inresponse to finding no match after all the application versions havebeen searched (405), a search failure is indicated (408). In thismanner, the tool may be configured to automatically move forward andbackward among different variants of the same GUI object and select thebest matching GUI object. The linear search for an appropriate variantof the GUI object may be done using any suitable algorithm, such asbreadth first search and depth first search. When the versioning in theobject map is not linear, for example, when the versions have a treeform, then non-linear search algorithms may be used.

Although the present invention has been described in accordance with theembodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyrecognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and thosevariations would be within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one ofordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method for obtaininggraphical user interface (GUI) object properties, comprising: prior toan execution of a test script: determining a baseline version identifierfor a baseline version of an application to be used in the execution ofthe test script, the baseline version being later than a startingversion of the application and earlier than a latest version of theapplication; retrieving GUI object properties associated with a startingversion identifier for the starting version of the application from anobject map, the object map storing: GUI object properties for each GUIobject for the starting version of the application, the GUI objectproperties for the starting version being associated with the startingversion identifier; and modifications of the GUI object properties forat least one GUI object for a plurality of versions of the applicationsubsequent to the starting version, the GUI object properties for eachgiven version being associated with a given version identifier for thegiven version of the application; collecting the GUI objectmodifications associated with a next version identifier from the objectmap; merging the collected GUI object modifications with the GUI objectproperties associated with the starting version identifier; andrepeating the collecting of the GUI object modifications associated withthe next version identifier from the object map and merging thecollected GUI object modifications with the merged GUI object propertiesuntil the next version identifier matches the baseline versionidentifier.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing theGUI object properties for each GUI object for the starting version ofthe application in the object map; associating the stored GUI objectproperties for each GUI object with for the starting version thestarting version identifier; determining that at least one of the GUIobjects of the starting version is changed for the given version of theapplication; in response to determining that the at least one GUI objectfor the starting version is changed for the given version, storingmodifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUIobject for the given version in the object map; and associating themodifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUIobject for the given version with the given version identifier.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein in response to determining that the at leastone GUI object for the starting version is changed for the givenversion, the storing of the modifications of the GUI object propertiesfor the at least one GUI object for the given version in the object mapcomprises: in response to determining that the at least one GUI objectfor the starting version is changed for the given version, storing onlythe modifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUIobject for the given version in the object map without storing theentire GUI object properties.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein thestoring the GUI object properties for each GUI object for the startingversion of the application in the object map comprises: storing the GUIobject properties for each GUI object for the starting version of theapplication in a single file with a file name comprising the startingversion identifier.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein in response todetermining that the at least one GUI object for the starting version ischanged for the given version, the storing of the modifications of theGUI object properties for the at least one GUI object for the givenversion in the object map comprises: storing the modifications of theGUI object properties for the at least one GUI object for the givenversion in a separate file with a file name comprising the given versionidentifier.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein in response to determiningthat the at least one GUI object for the starting version is changed forthe given version, the storing of the modifications of the GUI objectproperties for the at least one GUI object for the given version in theobject map comprises: storing the modifications of the GUI objectproperties for the at least one GUI object for the given version in thesingle file with the GUI object properties associated with the startingversion of the application.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining that the test script requires interaction with aGUI object of the baseline version of the application; collectingproperties of the GUI object of the baseline version of the application;comparing the collected properties of the GUI object of the baselineversion of the application with the merged GUI object properties of theGUI object; determining that the collected properties of the GUI objectof the baseline version of the application do not match the merged GUIobject properties of the GUI object; and in response to determining thatthe collected properties of the GUI object of the baseline version ofthe application do not match the merged GUI object properties of the GUIobject, moving a baseline version marker to a near version of theapplication for the GUI object.
 8. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: executing the test script to test the baseline version ofthe application using the merged GUI object properties.
 9. A computerimplemented method for storing graphical user interface (GUI) objectproperties, comprising: storing GUI object properties for each GUIobject for a starting version of an application in an object map;associating the stored GUI object properties for each GUI object with astarting version identifier; determining that at least one of the GUIobjects is changed; in response to determining that the at least one GUIobject is changed, storing modifications of the GUI object propertiesfor the at least one GUI object in the object map; associating themodifications of the GUI object properties for the at least one GUIobject with a new version identifier of the application; determining abaseline version of the application to be used in an execution of a testscript; retrieving the GUI object properties associated with thestarting version of the application from the object map; collecting theGUI object modifications associated with a next version of theapplication from the object map; merging the collected GUI objectmodifications with the GUI object properties associated with thestarting version of the application; repeating the collecting of the GUIobject modifications associated with the next version of the applicationfrom the object map and merging the collected GUI object modificationswith the merged GUI object properties until the next version of theapplication matches the baseline version of the application; determiningthat the test script requires interaction with a GUI object of theapplication; collecting properties of the GUI object of the application;comparing the collected properties of the GUI object of the applicationwith the merged GUI object properties of the GUI object; determiningthat the collected properties of the GUI object of the application donot match the merged GUI object properties of the GUI object; and inresponse to determining that the collected properties of the GUI objectof the application do not match the merged GUI object properties of theGUI object, moving a baseline version marker to a near version of theapplication for the GUI object.